


Late Night

by lesbianruby



Category: Karakuridouji Ultimo
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-05-05
Updated: 2018-05-05
Packaged: 2019-05-02 12:12:34
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,167
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14544483
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/lesbianruby/pseuds/lesbianruby
Summary: Kiyose has a late shift and comes home exhausted.  Pardonner decides to take care of her.





	Late Night

My shift ends in ten minutes. Good thing too. It's been oddly busy at the library today, lots of people flooding in and out. I've had to work the circulation desk for hours, having to talk to multiple people at a time. I'm exhausted.

What will I make for dinner tonight? Pardonner doesn't like anything with too much garlic in it. I know that much. Beyond that, I cannot tell if he likes anything I make at all. Maybe I can ask him?

I get out my phone and text my roommate, "What do you want for dinner tonight?"

"Er, Matsumoto?" That was my coworker. Oh no, she's seen me on my phone during work! I jump in my chair and hit my knees under the desk. "Y-yes?!"

She laughs at me. "I know your shift is supposed to end soon but-"

They're going to have me work extra? When I'm already tired and have dinner to make for someone special?!

"Do you think you could stay until eight? Hitori called in sick."

I sigh. I can't help it. I'll be working four more hours without dinner (even worse, leaving PARDONNER without dinner!) when I've already been working since morning. But I can't just say no. I need the money.

"Okay."

"Sorry," my coworker smiles pitifully at me before running off.

I get out my phone (no response, of course) and say to Pardonner, "Never mind, I won't be home for dinner. Gotta work late. There's ramen in the cupboard."

\--

It is eight o'clock. My coworkers are cheering about how we "survived" the rush. I, on the other hand, am dead. My back hurts from bending over and picking up multiple books that kids have dropped. My head hurts from too much noise and I'm starving. I want to go home.

I head right out without saying goodbye to anyone. It hurts to walk. Thankfully I live close to the library.

As soon as I get home and slam the door behind me, I slide down the wall and onto the floor.

"You alright, Kiyose?" Pardonner calls from the table.

"No," I groan.

There's silence for a bit. Then Pardonner says, "There's dinner on the table."

My head perks up. There's a plate of sushi on the table in front of an empty seat.

I stand up and approach the table, bewildered. "Is-is this for me?"

Pardonner scoffs. "Uh, yeah? I mean, unless you don't want it, in which case-"

I plop down into the seat and stuff two rolls into my mouth at once, not caring about manners. It's fantastic. I have never tasted sushi this good. I finish it in less than a minute. When I'm done, I give Pardonner what is probably the dreamiest smile. He is not amused.

"Thank you for the sushi," I say to him, still smiling.

"Yeah sure," he grumbles, reaching over to pick up my empty plate.

"Oh, I got it!" I grab my plate right as he does, and our hands touch. I'm frozen stiff, at a loss of what to do. My heart's racing. This feeling is different from the embarrassment when Yamato or Ume drag me around by my hand. I WANT to hold Pardonner's hand. Is this how the boys in my manga feel?!

"Um..." Pardonner clears his throat. I come back to Earth and notice I'm staring at him. His eyes are narrowed.

"ACK!!" I scoot back abruptly, almost knocking my chair over. "Sorry!"

Pardonner raises his eyebrows and takes my plate away, going to put it in the sink. 

Maybe I should just go to bed. I jump out of my chair and scurry into my bedroom before I can embarrass myself any further. 

I flop onto my bed, immediately wincing. My back still hurts. I stretch myself out as much as possible, only ending up pulling a muscle. "OW!"

"Kiyose?" Pardonner calls from the other room.

"I'm okay! Just sore from work!"

There's no response for a couple of minutes. Then I hear from the doorway, "You might be more comfortable if you changed out of your work clothes."

I bolt upright, startled. Pardonner's in his chick pajamas. The sight always makes me giggle, which irritates him. 

"Sorry," I tell him. "You're adorable."

"Don't say that!" he snaps, looking away. I have to restrain myself from laughing even more. 

Pardonner straightens himself up and marches towards me. He stops by the edge of my bed next to me, his eyes softening. He reaches out towards me. This is so shocking that I flinch. 

"Sorry," he says. "I didn't mean to overstep-"

"No!" I blurt out, a little too loud. "I didn't mean to-I was just startled, that's all."

Pardonner reaches out to my face again. My heart pounds, thinking he's going to touch me. He takes my glasses off and places them on my nightstand. Then he takes my barettes out.

"Oh, haha, I knew something didn't feel right," I say, stuttering with every other word. 

"You're so absent-minded," Pardonner says, but he lacks his usual bitter tone. He reaches behind my head and takes my hairbands out, running his hands through my hair in the process. 

"I like it when you touch my hair like that," I tell him.

"You do?" he asks, one of his hands on my head. 

I nod, looking up into his eyes. I can't help but smile. He looks back at me with an unreadable expression, then hesitantly brings his other hand up to stroke my hair. I feel my eyes start to close. 

Pardonner begins to gently scratch my head, like a massage almost. "Does that, uh, does that feel good?"

I nod slowly, smiling. 

"Kiyose, I know I'm not a doji anymore, and I don't have the healing powers, but that won't stop me from taking care of you as best as I can." I look up at him, startled. He's looking down at the floor. "Can you tell me if there's ever anything I can do for you?"

I'm speechless. I always thought I was someone that Pardonner tolerated at best. "Yeah, of course," I manage to say.

"Is there anything more you need from me tonight?"

Of course there is. I want him to be with me and touch me until I fall asleep. But I can't just say that. "No, I don't think so," I tell him. "Thank you, though."

"Alright," he says. "Goodnight, Kiyose." He turns and abruptly leaves the room. 

"I love you." It just comes out of my mouth. 

Pardonner stops in the middle of the doorway and looks back at me. "Huh?" 

"What?" I say with a fake smile.

"I didn't hear you," he says.

I breathe out a huge sigh. "I just said goodnight."

"Oh...okay, goodnight." 

"Goodnight!" 

Pardonner leaves, shutting my door behind him. 

I'm alone now. I want to run after him, but I don't. I need to sleep.

Maybe if I close my eyes, I can still feel his hands in my hair.


End file.
